Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Speaking of Euphemisms (Scripture and Indirect Speech)

An interesting article on euphemisms appears here: https://journals.openedition.org/lexis/1010

Euphemisms are forms of speech that replace more offensive terms with less offensive terms. For example, instead of saying, "Jones died last night," we might say, "Jones passed away last night." Euphemisms tend to soften or cushion the impact of our words: they're also considered to be more polite forms of speech--especially where taboo subjects are concerned. To say that "Jones fell asleep" would be another way of euphemizing speech.

Although the Bible is quite direct in many places, it also seems to contain euphemisms. Under the entry for euphemisms in the Jewish Encyclopedia, we read:

A figure of speech by which a softened, indirect expression is substituted for a word or phrase offensive to delicate ears though more accurately expressive of what is meant. Instances of euphemisms are found in the Bible; and in the Talmud they are frequent, having been used whenever it was necessary to avoid unsuitable expressions. "Man should always express himself in fitting terms" (Sanh. viii. 1; Pes. 3a) was a favorite saying of the Rabbis.

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5906-euphemism

See https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/euphemize

While Bible writers use numerous euphemisms throughout Scripture, I want to discuss two instances.

A. Exodus 4:25-- "But Zipporah took a flint knife, and she cut off the foreskin of her son, and she touched his feet, and she said, 'Yes, you are a bridegroom of blood to me.'" (LEB, Italics are mine)

Comment: The Good News Translation gives a highly interpretive rendering of this verse, and provides this footnote: "This reference to 'feet' is thought by some to be a euphemism for the genitals."

NABRE Footnote for Exodus 4:25: "Touching his feet: a euphemism most probably for the male sexual organ (see 2 Kgs 18:27; Is 7:20); whether the genitals of the child (after Zipporah circumcised him) or of Moses (after the circumcision of his son) is not clear."

B. 1 Samuel 24:3(4)-- "When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he found a cave, which he entered to relieve himself. David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave" (NABRE).

NET Note: "tn Heb 'to cover his feet,' an idiom (euphemism) for relieving oneself (cf. NAB 'to ease nature')."

CEB: "He came to the sheep pens beside the road where there was a cave. Saul went into the cave to use the restroom.[a] Meanwhile, David and his soldiers were sitting in the very back of the cave."

CEB [a]: "Or to cover his feet (a euphemism)"

One can adduce other potential euphemisms related to genitalia or death (Ezekiel 16:25); the main point is that the Bible writers, while being direct, also made use of softer terms when such language seemed more fitting.

Someone passed along this article: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/026009358603700105?journalCode=tbtd&fbclid=IwAR1O9vEHKAK_lGpehXDk7C6a9SZyx7ovzMpWmyKP0Fs8AiJFLAhTZbAzwlw

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